1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wave pool, and more particularly to a wave pool for surf-riding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Waves are indispensable to surf-riding. For good surf-riding, the waves should be high in height and long in period but also steep enough to break at their top along the crest line. More preferably, those waves should be rich in variations. But, such place as can supply such preferred waves is not so often found everywhere. In addition, surfing places are greatly affected by weather and sea conditions. For these reasons, an artificial surfing place which can always supply waves fit for surfing is in demand.
Prior art surfing training facilities are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open (KOKAI) No. 141381/86 wherein:
(1) A long pool is equipped with a bottom sloping upwards gently, and a wave-making device is set at the deeper side of the long pool; and
(2) The long pool serves as a surfing zone, and around the surfing zone a circulating water channel, with which the wave-making device is connected, is installed to be used as a paddling zone.
The above-mentioned prior art surfing training facilities, however, produce waves propagating in the longitudinal direction of the pool only. To produce waves diagonally crossing the longitudinal axis of the pool, or waves of short crest, separated wave flaps and devices controlling the wave-flaps are required. Furthermore, to enable surfing along a wave crest line, the breadth of the pool must be widened and the wave-making equipment must be large in size, corresponding to the increase of the breadth of the pool.
There is known another prior art surfing pool wherein:
(1) a shoal having the shape of a cape projecting out into the sea is formed in front of a wave-making machine; and
(2) the produced wave moves forward but is split in two directions along both sides of the shoal.
This pool, however, is disadvantageous in that the area of the shoal becomes an obstacle to surf-riding.